Sydney "Crepes of Wrath" K.'s Profile

While Colicchio & Sons is still my favorite Colicchio establishment, Riverpark is a close second. I went for Restaurant Week with my husband and a friend for lunch, and I was really happy with both the food and the service. I had the chicken soup with braised kale, which was perfect (I often find that chicken soups are way too salty, but this one was clean tasting and delicious), followed by the pork steak with hen of the woods mushrooms and sour cherries (it was like a giant slab of pork belly covered in my absolute favorite mushrooms - that I first had at Craftsteak in Vegas and can't get enough of since - and the braised spinach and cranberry puree underneath were fantastic), and finished up with beignets with an espresso custard (I could have eaten the custard alone). This is a great deal for RW, and apparently they have $28 3-course lunches all year 'round, so definitely check it out, if not for the food, than for the beautiful view of the East River and the walk past the cool old Bellevue Hospital. I am really excited to check it out again in the spring or summer, to see what their garden is up to (they have one across the street).

The octopus here is fantastic - what more do you need to know? When I went, they only had beer and wine, which is kind of boring for someone like me who likes a glass of scotch or whisky after dinner, but the food is so good that I'm okay with it.

I adore this bar - my husband and I bring our friends here at least every other weekend. The beers on tap are great, the cocktails are fun and interesting (I highly recommend the brandy old fashioned), and the staff are friendly. I know a lot of people dig their fried cheese curds, but honestly, their french fries have my heart - perfectly hot and crispy. I love playing a game of shuffleboard with my friends, having a few drinks, and enjoying the cozy atmosphere that this bar provides with its beautiful wooden tables and well maintained bar.

I don't think this place is too pricey at all - it's no more expensive than Starbucks. If you just want a regular, stale cup of coffee, there are plenty of places to get it in the area, but Cup offers good quality coffee, as well as really great pastries (specially the croissants). The staff is friendly, and they have a great stamp card program where you get a free coffee after the 8th or 10th stamp, which happens pretty quickly between my husband and myself. I love Cup and I'm really happy it opened up in my neighborhood.

Every time I call this place to address an issue for an order (a few people in my office request them for lunch sometimes), the managers hassle me about it, despite spending at least $200+ per lunch order with them. One time they sent the wrong order and refused to send the correct one, and just now, they forgot something in an order, and told me that I was wrong, that I didn't pay for it, and that they wouldn't send it. However, when I called Seamless Web and had a MAN call and talk to them, suddenly everything is alright. This restaurant is run by a bunch of sexist jerks and next time someone in my office asks me to order from here, I'm going to explain that to them because it isn't worth it to be demeaned by these people.

I didn't have high expectations for this little place, but it was close to our final destination, so we figured we'd go here for a friend's birthday dinner and hope that it was as good as it sounded. It really defied all expectations and blew me away! We were seated quickly and our waiter, who knew we were celebrating a birthday, discreetly asked if we would like a dessert brought out to surprise the birthday girl at the end of our dinner - does it get more thoughtful than that? We all split a few plates; the salmon, the yellowtail, the rock shrimp, and the mushroom pizza stood out to me as being stars of the show, but everything was honestly really delicious and reasonably priced. This tiny spot is now one of my favorites, and I'll definitely be returning soon.

It wasn't my idea to go here, initially - I can make mussels at home, so why would I go out and pay $15-$20 for a pot of them? Well, here's why: Flex Mussels knows what they're doing, and they definitely have more to offer than your typical white wine and tomato combination. The decor leaves something to be desired, but I can let that slide because the food was so good. We had the salmon tartar and tuna carpaccio to start, which were both amazingly fresh, and the arugula salad had a nice bite to it without being too bitter. We ordered 3 pots of mussels for a table of 4, which honestly was a bit too much, but I wasn't complaining. We had the special for the evening, which was Indian spiced with chickpeas, cinnamon, and tomato, some kind of spicy sausage option, and then a classic white wine and herbs variation - all of them were full of bold flavors, and we all found ourselves sopping up the remaining liquid from the bottom of the pot with our bread to try to savor every last bite. I knew I had to try dessert, since Zac Young works (or worked?) here, and that didn't disappoint, either. We got the donut tasting (strawberry shortcake, lemon curd, and peanut butter and jelly), all of which were fresh from the fryer and simply fantastic. The shortcake even came with a vanilla bean dipping sauce that I could have had on its own, to be honest. We also got the key lime meringue pie, which was the winner of the evening, in my opinion - my mom sought out the recipe online and even made it at home because it was so good. This is a great date spot or somewhere casual for a group to catch up - I can't wait to go back.

First and foremost, do yourself a favor and order the ricotta. It is beyond delicious and I've been thinking about it ever since I ate here with my parents and husband. The service was great, the cocktails were interesting, and the pasta was phenomenal. I'm never one to rave about Italian food, but Locanda Verde is certainly something different - it definitely blows Babbo out of the water, that's for sure. The atmosphere is cozy and unique, and best of all, the noise level isn't too loud, so you can actually enjoy a conversation with your dining partner(s). You need to make a reservation ahead of time to guarantee a good spot, but planning ahead is worth it when it comes to this special little restaurant.

I love everything about this place and I can't believe anyone would give it any less than 5 stars. I've always had phenomenal service here, whether I'm dining in, picking up, or ordering delivery - my food is always hot, fast, and absolutely delicious. Obviously the steamed pork buns are the best thing on the menu - they are soft little pillows of heaven filled with sweet and savory pork. I always have to stop myself at just 1 or else there is no turning back. The pork belly is fantastic, too, as are the vegetable dumplings, which are my 2nd favorite thing there next to the pork buns. I can't say enough good things about M Noodle Shop - you just need to go!

I almost don't want to review this place because I don't want too many people to find out about it, but nonetheless: this place rules. The waiters and bartenders actually smile and seem happy to talk to you, the cocktails are beyond reasonably priced ($8!), and there are a ton of beers on draft. Oh, and the grilled cheese - the grilled cheese! I had the Sylvia, with a big, thick tomato and herbes de provence, which had perfectly crunchy ciabatta bread and a nice, mild cheese, so you were really able to taste all of the herbs and the sweet tomato. My husband had the Jane, which had Dijon mustard on it - I would never in a million years think to put Dijon on a grilled cheese sandwich, but I'm never having it any other way again, but it is a genius idea. The sandwiches are big, too, so you definitely get your money's worth, and the cocktails are equally strong. My only complaint is that I wish there was a bit more seating, but this place seems pretty new, so I'm assuming they are going to add more chairs in the back where it looks like there is some room.